Universal joint



May 22 192s. 1,670,612

c. D. CUT-UNGA K UNIVERSAL JOINT Filed NOV. 13, 1926 NVENTOR CHARM; i cam/ve.

BY [i (5 ATTORNEY Patented May 22, 1.928.

UNITED STATES vParri-:iur OFFICE.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

Application led November 13, 1926. Serial No. 148,208.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a universal joint which shall be of simple and economical construction, shall provide for proper and adequate lubrication as well as means for holding lubricant against escape and which shall also provide an adjustable bearing surface to receive end thrust.

Vith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangen'ient, combination and construction oi' the various parts of my improved device as described in the specification, claimed in my claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: l j v Y Fig. l is an end view of my` improved joint.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan View of the same with certain parts broken away to better illustratethe invention.

I have vshown a pair of shaft or yoke members 5 and 6, the member .5 having yoke arms 7 and the member 6 having yoke arms 8. Each of the arms 7 and 8 is provided with a slot 9 in its outer end. I have also provided a conventional cross comprising a central portion 10 having the diverging arms 11, each arm Vbeing adapted to pass through the slot 9 and engage in the end of either an arm 7 or an arm 8.

After the cross l1() has been positioned with two ot its arms 11 engaging the ends of the arms 8 and the remaining two of the arms 11 engaging in the endspof the arms 7 (each arm 11 having the nut or cap 12 andlubricant retaining washer 18 slipped over the same prior to assembly) a unit, comprising bushing- 14 pressed into sleeve 15 and a hardened steel washer 16 secured between the outer end of the bushing 14 and the. closedA end ol' the sleeve 15 may be inserted endwise through the openings in the a`r1ns'7 and 8 to engage the bushings 14 with the arms 11. The caps 12 may then be screwed onto the inner ends of the sleeves 15 as at 18 until the caps press against the yoke arms. Further rotation of the caps 1 2 will then draw the sleeves 15 inwardly until the hardened steel washer 1G engages the end of its adjacent arm 11. Thus provision 'is made for suitably positioning the washers 1G against the end of adjacent arms 11 so as to take end thrust from the arm. Lubricant may be contained iu the hollow bore 21 of each arm 1l and passed therei'roni through the groove 22 to the bearing suraces. The

washer 13, being held by the inner end ofthe bushing 14 and the end ofthe cap 12, will act as a seal against escape of the lubricant. In order to provide locking means for the sleeve 15 and cap 12, I provide a projection 6() ont-he top of each sleeve conforming in flat faces of thehexagon formingthe'eiite- .rior of the cap 12,'thus locking the -cap",l to

thesleeve. j -f ,l

I have alsoshown a highly'desirable'con struction for joining the' yoke 5 'to va 'prof pcller shaft In conventionalpractice', the tubular shaft 65 is` welded't'o th'e'yok'e,v requiring a large wall thickness iii'the' v tuliin'g. It isl practically 'impossible tocommer cially produce thick wall tubing whichI is uniform throughout, with the lresult that unequal weights in the shaftprodu'cea shafty whip. I provide the yoke 5f with' a fiange 66, so that "the thin walltubing (55 may be bent outwardly to'jn-'oduee a" similar flange 67 and the two flangcsiuay be 'riveted together by rivets 68.- The/end 6210i" the yoke serves tol center tl'ie'tubing. Because the tubing'is not welded tothe yoke, itfis not necessary tov provide a thick wall-.- equal to the thickness" ot' the forged yoke. andit is well known that thin wall' tubing is muc-'h more uniform in weight distribution than thick'wall tubing. Thus, whippingy of the shaft because of unequal weight distribution is avoided.

It becomes readily apparent that I have provided a simple and economical constructionl offuniversal joint wherein proper lubrication of the working parts is provided for as well as means for sealing the same against loss of lubricant. It also becomes apparent that I have provided .simple and etlicient means for adjusting against end thrust wear as well as a joint which may be easily and quickly'assen'ibled and disassembled. I

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the arrangement, combination and construction of the various parts of my improved device Without departing from the spirit of my invention and it is .my intention to cover by my claims such changes as may be reasonably included Within the scope thereof.

What l claim is:

l.- A universal joint comprising a pairl y the yoke.

vin

2. vA universal joint comprising a pair of yokes having slots in their outer ends, a cross having arms engageable in said yokes through said slots, a sleeve insertible endwise in each of said yokes, said sleeves havinga diameter'greater than the width of said slots and having interior bearings in which 'said arms may reciprocate and a nut screwed on the` inner end of each bushing locating'it in the yoke.

3. A universal joint comprising a pair of yokes having slotsin their outer ends, a cross having arms engageaole in said yokes through said slotsa sleeve insertible end- Wise in each of said yokes, said sleeves having a diameter greater than the width of said slots :and having interior bearings in which said arms may reciprocate land also having end thrust bearing surfaces against which 'the ends of the arms may bear, and

, a nut disposed around each arm and threaded on each sleeve for adjusting the sleeve longitudinally for end thrust Wear.

4. A universal joint comprising a rpair of `yokes having slots in their outer ends, a

cross having arms engageable'in said "yokes through said slots, a sleeve insertible end- Wise in each of said yokes, said sleeves hava vdiameter greater than the width of said slots and having interior bearings in which said Varms may reciprocate, said sleeves having abutments at their outer ends, a hardened Washer inserted in each sleeve and pressing the abutment on one side'and the. end of the adjacent arm on the other, and means for adjusting said -sleeve and Washer for end thrust wear. v

5. A universal joint comprising yoke` arms and cross arms positioned therein, a. sleeve on each of said cross arms having an nemen end thrust bearing in the outer end thereof and a nnt threaded on the inner end of each sleeve for adjusting it longitudinally..

6. A universal joint comprising yoke arms and cross arms positioned therein, a

, sleeve on each of saidcross arms having an end thrust bearing in `the outer end thereof and a nut'threaded on the inner end of each' sleeve for adjusting it longitudinally, each.

said nut pressing at its outer end against a yoke arm.

7. A construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein cachot' said sleeves is provided with a projection disposed in the slot of its adjacent yoke arm, and a washer' is disposed between the inner end of thesleeve and the cap, said Washer lhaving a projection exl tended into an opening in the sleeve projection and another projection bent against the nut to lock it to the sleeve. v

8e A universal joint comprising yoke armsv and cross arms positioned therein, a sleeve on each of said cross arms Within the yoke arms,`and a nut threaded on the inner end ot each sleeve for locating it in its yoke arm.

9. A universal joint comprising yoke larms and cross arms positioned therein, a

sleeve on each of said cross armsvwithin the yoke arms, and a nut threaded on the inner end of each sleeve for vlocating it in its yoke arm, each of said nuts pressing 4against; its

'adjacent yoke arm. l

10. A universal joint comprising yoke arms` and cross arms positioned therein, a sleeve on each of said cross arms, within the yoke arms, the outer ends of said sleeves being closed, a mit threaded 'on the inner end of each sleeve for locating it in its yoke arm and packing carried between each"nut anl the inner end of its sleeve to close said en 11. A universal joint comprisingyoke arms and cross arms positioned therein, a

Asleeve on each of said cross arms within ythe yoke arms, the outer ends of said sleeves being closed, a nut threadedon the inner end of each sleeve for locating it in'its yoke arm, packing carried between each nut and Athe inner end of its sleeve to close said end,

each nut having a ange extending transversely of the sleeve for holding its packing.

CHARLES n. sorrise.` 

